Imagine a world where your customer inquiries are
addressed at lightning speed, with
a level of personalized care that
could rival your best in-store sales
representatives. Welcome to the future
of pool and spa customer service. By
harnessing artificial intelligence (AI),
particularly through customer service
chatbots and virtual assistants, you can
not only save significant time but also
assist more customers simultaneously,
resulting in increased customer
satisfaction.
CHATBOTS IN
THE POOL
& SPA INDUSTRY: PAST,
PRESENT, FUTURE
Similar to other sectors, the
incorporation of chatbots in the pool
and spa industry began with simple use
cases, such as automating appointment
bookings or providing pre-programmed
responses to customer inquiries on
websites. Today, however, AI-powered
chatbots have become sophisticated
enough to handle complex tasks like
troubleshooting technical issues or
offering personalized solutions based
on a customer’s purchase history.
“As an industry expert, you are
well aware of the significant amount
of time spent addressing many of the
same inquiries on a regular basis,”
says Laci Davis, CEO of Grit Game
Marketing. “Depending on the product,
you probably already know most of the
questions a customer will have ahead of
time. And that’s why AI can be a game-changing
addition to your business.
If you’re used to getting a high call or
email volume, just setting up a simple chatbot to automatically address your
FAQs can feel like you’ve doubled or
even tripled your staff overnight.”
But this is just the beginning. The
future of chatbot technology holds
even more potential for the pool and
spa industry. With advancements in
large language models (LLMs) and
user interfaces, chatbots will be able
to engage in more natural and humanlike
conversations with users, leading
to wider adoption. Furthermore, the
technology is becoming easier and
more accessible for businesses to build
custom chatbot applications and train
them using their own data.
FOR MANUFACTURERS
— Chatbots can handle intricate inquiries
about product specs, installation, and
maintenance. They can also streamline
sales and operations by guiding reps,
partners, and outside vendors through
the product range, providing tailored
advice, and even taking new potential
customer information when a prospect
is interested in carrying a product line.
FOR RETAILERS —
Retailers can leverage chatbots to
process orders, suggest products
based on customer needs, and handle
frequently asked questions, freeing
up human capital for more complex,
emotionally intelligent tasks. In-store
representatives can also use the
technology to assist customers with
product inquiries, questions, and
more, providing a seamless experience
between online and in-store customer
service.
FOR SERVICE PROFESSIONALS —
Service professionals can use chatbots
to schedule appointments, offer tips
for pool and spa maintenance, answer
frequently asked questions about their
services, and even troubleshoot minor
issues. This allows them to focus on
more crucial or specialized tasks while
still being available to assist customers
at any time. Expect to see many service
providers sending their reps into the
field with custom A.I. Chatbots on their
mobile devices in the very near future.
SOFTWARE PROVIDERS
— If you’re wondering where you’ll start
to see wide use of AI-powered chatbots
and automated customer service,
the answer is software providers. If
you haven’t already seen many of the
names in your tech stack introduce
AI-guided assistants, it’s only a matter
of time. Software providers have a
huge opportunity; many are already
using the emerging technology to
assist customers with onboarding,
training, data input, and general
troubleshooting.
VIRTUAL ASSISTANTS AND
THE PERSONAL TOUCH
Virtual assistants, a step up from
chatbots, are the pinnacle of AI-driven
customer service. They handle tasks
efficiently, recognize and respond to the
customer’s emotions, and adapt their
tone and responses accordingly.
MANUFACTURERS AND RETAILERS
— For manufacturers and retailers, virtual
assistants add an element of concierge
to the service experience. They handle
high-level, complex discussions on
product lines and can walk a potential
customer through a virtual showroom,
giving product demonstrations and
answering questions in real time. While
the technology is still in its infancy, the
capabilities to interact with customers
from start to finish are closer than you
may think.
SERVICE PROVIDERS
— In service sectors, virtual assistants are
progressing slower for use in the field;
however, they are improving efficiencies
by streamlining many pre-service
tasks before a technician ever goes
on a service call. The technology has
already progressed enough to create a
completely seamless experience from
start to finish, allowing customers to
book and pay for services, schedule
appointments, and communicate with
the service provider, all through a virtual
assistant.
THE CUSTOMER-BOT
RELATIONSHIP IS EVOLVING
For better or for worse, the modern
consumer is shaped by convenience.
They want answers to their questions
without delay and from the path of least
resistance. In a world where AI-driven
chatbots and virtual assistants are
becoming the norm, the question isn’t if
the pool and spa industry should adopt
such tools but how quickly they can do
so without losing their personal touch.
The relationship between customers
and chatbots is evolving, and it’s crucial
for businesses to find the right balance
between automation and human
interaction to provide a seamless
customer experience. As technology
advances, chatbots and virtual assistants
will become even more integral in
shaping how businesses interact with
their customers.
ADAPTING TO AI IN THE
POOL AND SPA INDUSTRY
Since the implementation of AI in
the pool and spa industry is a matter
of when not if, here are the steps
businesses can take to ensure a smooth
transition:
- Analyze Customer
Interactions — Look at the types of
inquiries you receive. What can
be automated? And what truly
requires a human touch? - Select the Right AI Platform — Choose a reputable AI software
provider that meets your unique
needs.You may not need all the
bells whistles that come with some
programs, so take your time and
do your homework. - Customize for Your Brand — Personalize the AI to reflect your
branding, incorporating your voice
and the language your customers
are accustomed to. - Train Your Team — Educate your staff on how to
work alongside AI for maximum
efficiency. - Measure Success — Continuously monitor and adjust
the AI’s performance to ensure it’s
exceeding, not just meeting, your
customer service benchmarks.
THE
FUTURE OF CUSTOMER
SERVICE WITH AI
The future of customer service in
the industry is definitely headed for
change. But companies shouldn’t be
worried about it; rather, they should
look forward to embracing it. With the
capacity to handle queries at scale while
maintaining a human touch, these
technologies open up new customer
engagement and satisfaction frontiers.
The businesses that recognize and
harness this potential are poised to
become pioneers of unparalleled
customer service in their field and reap
all the benefits that come with it.
Paul McIntosh is the co-founder and chief growth
officer at Grit Game Marketing, an agency that
helps pool and spa businesses connect with its
customers and increase revenue through bespoke
marketing and advertising strategies.
